Happy Birthday
by HesMines
Summary: It's Kelly's 18th birthday, so she and Maddie celebrate the only way they know how.


**The idea for this came into my head while I was watching re-runs of seasons 1 and 2…not a clue how though. My actually sitting down and writing this was kick started by **_KTMrshall_** and one of our many email conversations **(you are the only person I can have five conversations with at once and still keep track!)**. Originally I had Kelly and Maddie on a night out, which I've kind of made reference to here, but I like this version much better. My only warning is that I was crying by the end of this.**

**Disclaimer – I own nothing. **

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"If our dads could see us right now, they'd freak out." Kelly Gibbs stated matter-of-factly as she studied her reflection in her best friend's full length mirror. She smirked as she leant forward to apply the ruby red lipstick. If her dad could see her right now he'd lock her up until she was thirty.

Placing the lid back on the tube she appraised herself again. She didn't like to blow her own trumpet, but she looked _hot_. She might have inherited the natural beauty from her mother, but the icy blue eyes and the auburn hair (her best features) was all her father. She'd even inherited his personality, something that sometimes drove her mother insane. Like with the dress she was currently wearing. It was marine blue, short, strapless, and hugged her in all the right places. Her mom would call it daring, risqué. She would tell her that she was exactly like her father and didn't mind flirting with danger.

Well, maybe she _liked_ danger. Maybe she _enjoyed_ being reckless. Sometimes it was the only connection to her father she had.

She quickly shook her head to dispel the thoughts about her parents. She could worry about them later. After all, she was only going to be eighteen once. She'd never have another chance to celebrate it with her best friend. It wasn't even as though they were planning to go out clubbing and get drunk. They had something a lot more low key in mind.

She glanced towards the open bathroom door where Maddie was currently getting ready. The blonde had made no response to Kelly's comment. She hadn't even acted like she'd heard her. Rolling her eyes as she moved away from the mirror, she answered sarcastically for her best friend. "I totally agree, Kelly. They'd kill us for even thinking we could go out looking like this. Good thing they're not here."

Kelly winced at her last words. Neither girl would agree with the last sentence. Maddie's dad had been killed a few months ago in combat, and Kelly didn't really see her Dad anymore. When she did, it hurt too much. They'd give anything to have their dad's scare off their potential boyfriends off by sitting in the lounge wearing casuals and holding sniper rifles.

When Kelly heard Maddie picking up her stuff in the bathroom, she rearranged her features and headed towards the window. Maddie exited the bathroom, her arms full, and made no indication that she'd noticed her friend's slip. As she headed towards her bed to dump everything, the hairdryer fell with a resounding thud, and Maddie let everything else fall with a laugh.

At the window, Kelly tried to bite back a giggle. But when Maddie picked up the things she need, and then proceeded to kick the rest of the pile next to her bed, she lost her internal battle. She shook her head and laughed, "Maddie, Maddie, Maddie. You are the most unorganized person I have ever met! Yet you still managed to get into Georgetown University – you never cease to amaze me."

Kelly had no idea how her best friend – who could sometimes be a textbook blonde – managed to pass high school. She lost assignments, forgot about homework and did it at the last minute and she would sometimes come out with the stupidest questions or answers possible…but she still passed with flying colours. The girl had plenty of brains…she was just ditzy sometimes.

And she had plenty of street smarts and common sense. Unlike most people, Maddie could keep her head when she was drinking. And even if she was totally hammered, she would never get into a car with someone drunk and she'd never attempt to drive after having a drink. She was one of the most careful drivers out there.

Sometimes you can't erase the scars of the past. They cut too deep.

Kelly shook her head again. She was thinking too much. Sure, she could reminisce, but not like this. She wanted to think of happy memories, not the nightmares that still haunted both their dreams.

Maddie turned around and walked up to the full length mirror Kelly had just vacated and repeated the actions Kelly had just finished. She ruffled her hair. She touched up her make-up. She smiled seductively and admired herself in her short purple dress. It was different to Kelly's. Kelly's was strapless while Maddie's had straps. Kelly's was clingy while Maddie's was loose, the dress flowing out from one point and coming in at another to give a perfect hourglass shape.

_Maddie's would have went down a lot better with Mom_, Kelly thought ruefully. _Too bad it wouldn't suit me. It looks great on her though._

Maddie stopped suddenly, her eyes focusing on something in the refection. Kelly followed her gaze in confusion, and then she froze when she saw what had caught her best friend's attention. Sitting on Maddie's bedside table was a picture frame, holding the same picture that Maddie had kept by her bedside for years. Almost ten years to be exact.

The picture was old – you could tell that from the quality. Technology had come so far in the intervening years. Mrs. Tyler had suggested getting it digitally re-mastered, but Maddie couldn't bring herself to do it. Not yet anyway.

The picture showed two grinning eight year old girls with their arms around each other. It was at a friend's birthday party. There had been a bouncy castle, a pool and ice cream cake. But that wasn't why they were smiling. They were smiling because they were eight and didn't have a care in the world. It was the last picture taken before the crash. Before everything changed.

It was the last picture of them together. Two weeks later one of those little girls was dead.

"I miss you Kel." Maddie whispered, looking up to the ceiling in to stop the tears falling. "It's been almost ten years and it still _hurts_."

Kelly bit her lip, hard enough to draw blood if that was still possible. She hated seeing people cry over her. Especially her best friend. She couldn't forget that first week after the crash. How she didn't leave Maddie's side, invisible to everyone but the dog. Both girls had cried their hearts out, seeking comfort that no one could give. She was dead. And she wasn't coming back. Neither was ready to accept that. Now...they'd accepted reality, but that didn't change a thing.

Kelly slowly closed the distance between them, still keeping up the human charade. She avoided the things on the floor, because walking straight through something was a reminder she couldn't face right now.

She stopped directly beside Maddie, the differences between them clear. Maddie couldn't see her, because she was dead. She didn't show up in the reflection. Two girls looked in, but only one looked out. Kelly was a lot paler and had a kind of subtle glow coming from her, something that showed she wasn't human. Like she needed reminding.

She put her arms around Maddie's shoulders and lay her head on the older girl's shoulder. She was careful in her movements, but she'd perfected the manoeuvre years before. She couldn't _feel_ Maddie, but she knew where she ended and the other girl began. She just had to make sure that she didn't cross that line, otherwise she'd go right through someone. And that wasn't exactly pleasant. This was the closest she'd get to hugging her friend for, hopefully, a very long time.

"I miss you too, Mads." Sighing, she shook her head sadly. Tears glistened in her eyes as she whispered, "You have no idea how much I wish I was still here."

_**NCISNCISNCIS**_

"Hey," Maddie whispered as she sat down in front of the gravestone. She'd chosen ballet flats instead of heels, knowing that her heels wouldn't do well in the grass. Smiling sadly, she set the tote bag down next to her and set the flowers down on the grave. Next she pulled out a teddy, a birthday card, some double-sided tape and some copper wire in a u-shape.

Silently, she stuck the card to the bottom corner of the stone, making sure that it wouldn't obscure the names. Then, she placed the wire around the middle of the bear, behind the 18 in was holding, and stuck at the foot of the grave. "I've got to make sure it stays here until your dad takes it home...or your Grandma. I'm never sure."

Finally, Maddie set about tidying the grave up. She pulled a few wilting flowers out of the holder and put them into a plastic bag she'd brought just in case and topped up the water. She began rearranging things, so that the flowers that had been left sat in harmony with each other instead of competing for space. She internally scoffed at the extravagant arrangement sent by Kelly's grandmother – the woman did always feel the need to show her affection with extravagance.

When she was finished, she sat back and pulled her bag towards her. She smiled sadly up at the gravestone as she began laying out what she had brought. Two paper plates, a miniature cake, a knife and two bottles of soda sat between Maddie and the gravestone. "What? Did you think I'd forget?"

She reached back into the bag and pulled out two sparklers, a gas lighter and a camera. Sticking the '1' and '8' into the cake, she turned the camera on and stood up. She took a few steps back and laughed, "Smile!" The camera went off with a click, and Maddie looked down to check the picture. When she looked back up there were tears in her eyes. In a whisper she added, "I knew there was a reason I wanted to do this at sunset."

Picking up the lighter, she leant forward to light the sparklers. Once they were sparking, she jumped back quickly to take the picture. After snapping a second one just for good luck, the light extinguished and the graveyard suddenly seemed too quiet...too dark.

Maddie bit her lip and sunk to her knees, closing her eyes and finally letting the tears flow. She covered her mouth in an attempt to quieten her sobs, but they still rang out in the empty graveyard.

Kelly stood behind her, tears streaming down her face. Sitting down beside her best friend with a grace she never possessed in life, she wrapped her arms around Maddie and hoped that it would give her some comfort. "This was great, Maddie. Thanks. I love you."

Maddie froze, and looked up at the grave, her eyes wide. She suddenly got the feeling that she wasn't alone anymore. She relaxed and looked off to the side, unknowingly looking Kelly right in the eye.

Through her tears she whispered, "Happy Birthday, Kel."

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...I can't believe I just wrote that. I

_**suck**_** at writing sad stories. Oh well, tell me what you think. Now, where did I put those tissues?**

**HesMines xx**


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